Retail Beauty regularly reports on the A.S. Watson Group because of its worldwide influence on the beauty industry through Watsons, its flagship health and beauty brand in Asia, and ownership of Superdrug, the second largest beauty and health retailer in the UK, and Marionnaud, the European beauty chain with 1000 stores across 11 regional markets.
Watsons has just opened its 700th store in Malaysia, one of its most important regional markets.
At 371 square metres, the new store at the KSL Esplanade Mall in Kuala Lumpur showcases the huge growth strategy of the world’s largest health and beauty retailer over the past three years.
The company has opened 1400 stores across the region since 2019. A.S. Watson didn’t stop our network expansion during challenging times because we have a solid O+ O (Offline plus Online) strategy which is relevant to customers needs, said Dominic Lai, Group Managing Director of A.S. Watson Group.
“We are delighted to announce the opening of Watsons 700th store in Malaysia, one of our fastest growing markets in Asia. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Watsons Malaysia has grown from 535 stores in 2019 to 700 stores now, said Lai. “Loyalty members have also risen from 5.7 million in 2019 to 7.2 million to date, signaling 1.5 million new members in a short period of time. So far this year, Malaysia has also experienced high double digit growth, continuing to be the market leader”.
Last year, A.S. Watson invested an additional US$115 million in technology to fast-track the digital transformation of its O+O platform, especially machine learning, AI, big data and retail technology.
The new KL store is a showcase for the company’s beauty and health initiatives now and in the future. StyleMe, for example, is an augmented reality-powered virtual makeup try-on, and is offered alongside more familiar services such as professional makeup artist consultations and free health screenings from its on-site pharmacy.
The new store is also the first location to host a dedicated haircare pillar focusing on premium exclusive hair ranges and scalp care from Korea, Japan and the US. High profile displays allow customers to explore the latest in K-Beauty and health and beauty supplements. Other highlights include an e-stamp corner for consumers to shop, collect and redeem exclusive items, self-checkout counters and a dedicated lane for Elite members of Watsons loyalty program.
In addition to its Asian expansion, Watsons has also entered the lucrative Middle Eastern market with stores in Qatar, Dubai, the UAE and Saudi Arabia as part of its expansion plans across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a regional organisation comprising Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
Watsons has recently been recognised as the No. 1 Personal Care and Beauty retailer and ranked 6th in Campaign Asia’s Top 50 Brands for Customer Experience Survey, says Lai. “With a deep sense of purpose and a steadfast commitment to help customers Look Good, Do Good and Feel Great, we will continue on this growth journey with out customers and together, create a better future for all”.
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